SANFORD – A 29-year-old mentally disabled woman whose 3-year-old child was killed by her live-in boyfriend must enter a plea by Wednesday or stand trial, according to a hearing Monday at the Seminole County Courthouse.

Crystal Aday of Oviedo faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of neglect of a child with great bodily harm.

At a plea conference Monday afternoon, Circuit Judge Jessica Recksiedler said she might consider a sentence of 10 years, according to the Brevard-Seminole State Attorney's Office.

Aday is accused of allowing her boyfriend, Isaac Burt, to beat, burn and abuse her daughter for months.

The child, Faith Jackson, died Nov. 6, 2010. Her mother reported finding her unresponsive on the bathroom floor that day.

A medical examiner concluded the child had been smothered. According to security camera video, Aday was at a Walmart when the child was stricken, meaning Burt was the only adult at home at the time.

Two weeks ago, Burt was convicted of manslaughter and child abuse by a Seminole County jury. He's to be sentenced Oct. 21.

Photos of the child's body showed her bottom was scarred by a half dozen cigarettes and cigar burns. They also showed that the bottom half of her body was covered with bruises and that she had been lashed repeatedly by an object that had torn her flesh.

Assistant State Attorney Gino Feliciani suggested the object was a piece of hose that police found in the family's trash.

According to three medical experts who examined her, Aday is mentally disabled. They were split, however, over whether she was mentally incompetent to stand trial.

On Sept. 4, Recksiedler ruled Aday was competent which allowed her case to move forward.

Aday's family says she has the mental ability of a 12-year-old and has never held a job.